Your spine consists of 33 bones that protect and support your spinal cord. These bony discs forming your backbone create small openings where they meet to form joints. These openings allow the passage of nerves. When bone spurs impinge on nerves, it can be quite painful. Your chiropractors at Castledowns Chiropractic Clinic, Dr. Christopher Oviatt and Dr. Michelle Martinook, offer spinal adjustment in Edmonton, AB, to help relieve your back pain from bone spurs.

What Are Bone Spurs?

Bone spurs are smooth bony growths that develop on bones, especially close to joints. Bone spurs may be osteophytes and enthesophytes. Osteophytes are bony growths that develop due to friction and are likely to develop on your vertebral joints. On the other hand, enthesophytes develop where ligaments and tendons attach with the bone around joints.

Bone spurs typically occur in people who are 60 years and older but they may still develop in younger people. Having specific conditions such as osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease increases your chances of developing bone spurs.

Symptoms of Bone Spurs

Bone spurs aren't painful on their own. Problems typically arise when the bone spurs press on nerves, rub against other tissues and restrict movement. Neck and back pain from bone spurs typically develops with time and worsens with physical activity. Symptoms of bone spurs include:

• Dull pain
• Tingling sensation in the hands and feet
• Muscle spasms
• Radiating pain in the shoulder, buttocks, or thighs
• Numbness
• Muscle weakness
• Headaches
• Loss of coordination

Bone Spurs Treatment

You've got a wide variety of treatment options to help relieve your discomfort from bone spurs.

Non-surgical treatment

• Medication - muscle relaxants and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs from your doctors may help you relieve your discomfort from bone spurs
• Rest - Taking a break when you experience pain during physical activity helps reduce your discomfort.
• Physical therapy and exercise - Your doctor can help you improve your posture, restore flexibility, and reduce your discomfort.
• Spinal manipulation - Your chiropractor can perform spinal adjustment in Edmonton, AB, to relieve your symptoms if they're due to abnormal spinal alignment.
• Weight loss - Losing weight can take off some of the pressure on your spine.
• Injections - Spinal injections may help relieve your discomfort.

Surgery

If non-surgical treatments don't help you improve your neck and back pain from bone spurs, your doctors may recommend surgery. Surgery is the only way to remove the bony growths and remove the pressure on your spinal cord and nerve roots.

Call (780) 457-3621 to schedule your consultation with your chiropractors, Dr. Oviatt and Dr. Martinook of Castledowns Chiropractic Clinic, for spinal alignment in Edmonton, AB.